LORD ANSON 145 



Lincolnshire, must be a pretty good judge of what riding over 

 hounds produces. 



Eobert was one of the two unfortunate servants of Lord iVnson 

 who came in contact with each other two years ago at Lichfield 

 when clearing the course at the Anson Hunt races ; by which 

 dreadful occurrence his leg was broken, the same leg which was 

 broken in two places the year before in a fall with Lord Anson's 

 hounds. When he hved with Mr. Smith, he not only whipped-in 

 his hounds in the winter, but occupied several posts of honour in the 

 summer ; and among which — though I forget the rest — were cook 

 and boatswain on board his yacht at Southampton. This universality 

 of talent reminds me of the old miser Elwes' celebrated servant, who 

 was his butler, coachman, gardener, huntsman, groom, and valet, 

 and, according to his i;nreasonable master's account of him, "a 

 d — d idle rascal " into the bargain. 



March winds and a hot sun are great adversaries to fox-hunting ; 

 and during the three days I hunted wdth Lord Anson's hounds they 

 operated most strongly against us. The consequence was I did not 

 see one run worth describing. The first day we had the bitch pack 

 — with the addition of two couple of dog-hounds, I suppose to make 

 up the number, as that is the time of the year when the former 

 often fall short. Their condition was good, and, taking into con- 

 sideration the fine season's sport they had had, did much credit to 

 their kennel-huntsman, Waddington. The second day we met at 

 the Seal Woods, and — what I never saw before — drew them blank. 

 Went on to Gobsall, the splendid seat of Lord Howe, where we 

 found, but could do nothing from want of scent. On this day we 

 had the dog pack, which to look at — being particularly level and 

 even as to size and power, and very full of the latter for their 

 inches — pleased me best ; but, as generally happens, the bitches 

 have had the most sport. Lord Molyneux was out on this day on 

 Oxford, the horse he rode in the famous Ditchley run in the year 

 1816. The old horse was very fresh on his legs ; but, what is 

 extraordinary, has lost all his mane. 



W^hen I first knew Lord Anson in the field, I thought, with many 

 others no doubt, that he went a hunting merely because other people 

 went a hunting, little suspecting that he ever would have filled the 



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